VIDEO: Georgia AT Day Hikes (or "What I Did on My Christmas Vacation")

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

thanks for taking us along. i second that getting "AT fever". I gotta get in better shape and do a bunch more hiking.

I hear you. I've been running, so the cardio levels weren't bothering me. However, my quads were a little stiff when I got back home; I went to grab something out of a cooler at work and stood back up and realized that I have to do more weight lifting before I go back to the mountains.

Originally Posted by richtorfla

Thanks for sharing. We have been to Helen and stayed at Unicoi campground. Real nice place! Me and the kids jumped up on the AT at Unicoi gap for a day hike. It was the steepest climb up I had ever done! A real calf burner. Glad you got to get out. Anna ruby falls was just down the road from Helen. Nice falls. Short hike to get to them. They paved it there since its a tourist visit. I love that area.

Glad you got to get out! Nice break from making pizza!

Absolutely beautiful area. The whole family wound up going to Anna Ruby, but I didn't get any video of it. That was pretty, and easy to get to. We also did a trail at Unicoi, but I don't remember which one it was. Again, I wasn't really videoing; I was talking with the family as we walked along.

lol puddles are funish to step in! I canít remember who said it, but itís known as type 2 fun. I wonder how Blood Mountain got its name. It sure is a special place, I can feel its specialness from here. Three weeks of food is a lot of food. Well, that was really good, FLRider, looks like you had a great time! Thanks for the video!

lol puddles are funish to step in! I canít remember who said it, but itís known as type 2 fun. I wonder how Blood Mountain got its name. It sure is a special place, I can feel its specialness from here. Three weeks of food is a lot of food. Well, that was really good, FLRider, looks like you had a great time! Thanks for the video!

Puddles are great to step in--if it's not 45* F (~7* C). Your toes get a little chilly at that point. I will say, though, that the Smartwool socks my MIL got me last year performed excellentlly with my lightweight runners. They kept my feet from getting cold when moving, even under those conditions.

The "Type 2 fun" thing was Andrew Skurka. Don't remember just exactly which of his blogs he first mentioned it in, but it's the sort of fun that's good for free beer later. Not so much fun at the time.

According to Wikipedia, there are conflicting stories as to how Blood Mountain got its name, but the most common story is that the local Cherokee and Creek tribes had a battle there over territory. Sure wouldn't want to be trying to fight in that terrain, especially with muscle-powered weapons. But, well...I guess they did.

Thanks, Bruciehi5! It sure is a beautiful portion of the world.

Originally Posted by Duffy

Nice video, Rider. Brought back my AT fever, too, but that's pretty much constant for me. I remember Wildcat Mtn as the first real butt-kicker on the AT, short but STEEP!

Wildcat was pretty steep up from the gap, yes. And so is the blue blaze to the shelter there. But it wasn't too bad; the short length meant it was easy to push through.

Blood Mountain was just as steep in spots, especially the last mile or so, and a lot longer. And it was...interesting...coming back down on slick, wet leaves covering slick mud. I shouldn't have hurried the way that I did, but...well...I survived it, at least.

Nothing like spending the holidays with a bunch of trees. Sometimes better than family and nearly always a welcome break from the hubbub. Good for you!

Yeah, the ability to be alone out there and just mull things while I take in the absolute glory of nature is worth it to me. It was still great being with the family, but some time away from people--even one's own family--is necessary for me from time to time.